1. Field
This invention relates generally to commodes for animals particularly disposable litter boxes for pets.
2. State of the Art
One of the inherent problems of owning a small animal as a pet is the handling and disposal of animal waste, particularly when the animal is trained to use indoor toilet facilities. Litter boxes are frequently used for the sanitary indoor handling of animal waste. Traditionally, litter boxes have fallen into three classes: nondisposable, partially disposable and completely disposable.
Nondisposable litter boxes are fairly expensive in cost and are constructed of either plastic, wood or other suitable material. They usually contain a litter material. When the litter material is soiled, it is cleaned through the use of a sieve which removes the animal waste and allows the litter material to pass through the sieve back into the litter box. This procedure, however, removes only the solid waste, and the liquid waste is absorbed into the litter material. After a short period of use the litter material becomes saturated with the liquid waste and odor and disease control become problems. Eventually, disposal of the soiled litter material is required, the litter box cleaned and clean litter material supplied. These procedures usually result in the unpleasant task of handling soiled litter material and scrubbing the litter box.
To overcome direct handling of soiled litter material and contact with the soiled litter box, partially disposable animal commodes were developed. These systems usually take the form of a permanent or semi-permanent litter box with a replaceable and disposable liner in which the litter material is contained. After the litter material is sufficiently soiled, the soiled litter material and disposable liner are removed. A new liner is then installed and new litter material added. Typically, the liner is constructed of thin plastic, which is subject to rips and tears when the commode is used by the animal. Additionally, most litter boxes which are used in the partially disposable systems are very shallow and do not adequately retain the litter material when the commode is used by the animal.
There are a number of disposable animal commodes which are presently available, or on which letters of patent have been granted. These products usually consist of a shallow tray, and some include a litter material. Most are not resealable, nor do they have appropriate height for proper retention of the litter material within the litter box. All of these prior products have the potential for the spread of diseases associated with litter material and animal waste, particularly waste from cats, through contact with soiled litter material, animal waste and surfaces of the animal commode which are exposed to or in contact with these items. One disease of special concern to pregnant women is toxoplasmosis, which can be contracted through contact with cat waste and litter material soiled by cats. Typical products are the folding disposable Kleen Kitty.RTM. Litter Tray which is marketed by Superior Pet Products, Inc. of Boston, Massachusetts; the Litter Kneat.RTM. Litter Box which is marketed by Midwest Green Products, Inc. that consists of a nonresealable litter box which utilizes an alfalfa pellet litter material; and the nonresealable Kleener Kitty Disposable Cat Box marketed by Snake River Minerals, Inc. which appears to use a diatomaceous earth litter material.
Various patents which have been issued on disposable litter boxes include the following: U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,863, issued to Eichenauer on Dec. 12, 1986; U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,160, issued to Feitelson on Oct. 22, 1985; U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,429, issued to Goldstein et. al. on Mar. 20, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,451, issued to Neal on Apr. 10, 1984; U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,892, issued to Selby on Sept. 14, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,787, issued to Wellman on June 9, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,975, issued to Prucha on Dec. 15, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,544, issued to Noonan on Dec. 15, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,292, issued to Coughlin on Mar. 29, 1977; U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,734, issued to Pierce on Mar. 20, 1980; U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,170, issued to Riccio on July 3, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,154,052, issued to Sweeney on Oct. 27, 1964; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,741,223, issued to Winborn on Apr. 10, 1956.